Shahid Afridi set for Royals return

Islamabad, July 31 (ANI): Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi is all set to play for Hampshire in their Friends Life T20 quarter-final, the club has confirmed.

Afridi had missed the final match of the group stage of the competition following the death of his father, but later expressed his desire to play for the Royals once again.

He is set to return to England next week and train with the squad ahead of the quarter-final clash with Durham at The Rose Bowl on 7th August.

"First of all it is important to say that the club is saddened by Shahid's loss and everyone's thoughts are with him at this very difficult time," The Nation quoted cricket manager Giles White, as saying.

"With regards his involvement in the quarter-final, it goes without saying that we have given Shahid space to come to his own decision on this and we would, of course, have accepted whatever course of action he had chosen. Clearly, it is a huge boost to the team to have a player of such obvious quality back with us and we hope very much that, together with the rest of the squad, Shahid can help propel the Royals to a second successive Finals Day," he added. (ANI)